Musical instrument



.(No Model.)

L. E. PYLE.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 550,529. PatentedNov. 26, 1895.

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UNITED STATES LEVFIS ED\VIN PYLE, OF

PATENT OEEIcE.

ELAM, PENNSYLVANIA.

MUSICAL ENSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,529, dated November26, 1895.

Application filed March 13, 1895.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LnwIs EDWIN PYLE, of Elam, in the county of Delawareand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Musicalinstrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The invention relates to mandolins, guitars, and similar instruments;and its object is to provide a new and improved stringed musicalinstrument which is simple and durable in construction, rich inmelodious tones, arranged to prevent bending of the neck, and formed tofit properly on the performers body to permit of executing the musicwith great ease.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the same with part in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation ofthe same 011 the line 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. a is a sectional plan viewof the joint between the neck and the body.

The improved musical instrument is provided with a body A, madeapproximately heart-shaped, as is plainly shown in Fig. 1, and formed ofthe side A, the sounding-board A and the bottom A between which and thesounding-board are secured the bottom and top edge of the side A.

The neck B of the instrument is fitted into the apex of the body A byhaving the ends of the side A rest on the sides of the wedgeshaped end13 of the neck B, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 4. The bottom of thewedge shaped end B is covered by the back A and the sounding-board Aextends into a notch or cut'out port-ion of the end B at the topthereof, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2. The several parts are securelyglued together, so that the neck is very firmly attached to the body andis not liable to bend or spring when tuning the instrument or whenplaying the same.

Serial No. 541,578. (No model.)

A head C is secured to the neck B by a diamond-shaped piece D, insertedin correspondin g V-shaped recesses formed in the adjacent ends of theneck B and head C. The strings are secured at their upper ends on keysor pegs held in the head 0, to then extend down over the neck B and bodyA over a projection E, to be fastened at their lower ends 011 atailpiece F, held at the bout of the body A, as is plainly shown in thedrawings. A strengthening-rib G is secured to the under side of thesounding-board A at the sounding-hole A thereof, as is plainly shown inthe drawings.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described the several parts arevery firmly united with each other, so as to produce an instrumenthaving great strength, and at the same time one which will emit rich andmelodious tones when the strings are played. It will also be seen thatthe tailpiece, being located in the recess at the base of the instrumentbetween the projections, is protected from contact with any surface onwhich the instrument may be placed, and interference with the propervibration of the strings is prevented. It will further be seen that bythe peculiar shape given to the body A the latter may be convenientlyseated or rested on the players body to permit the latter to execute themusic with great comfort and ease. The projecting portions at the baseof the instrument will rest upon the body of the player, and theinstrument will consequently be held firmly in position and will notturn while in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In a musical instrument the combinationwith a body having two projecting portions at its base end and a recessbetween the projecting portions, of a tail piece secured within the saidrecess, substantially as shown and described.

2. A musical instrument comprising abody having two projecting portionsat its base and a recess between the projecting portions, the said bodybeing approximately heart shaped, a neck secured in the apex of the bodyhetween the sounding board and back and with the ends of the sidesresting on the sides of the neck, a head secured to the neck andprovided with keys or pegs to which the strings are secured at theirupper ends and a tail piece secured in the recess at the base of thebody and to which the lower ends of the strings are fastened,substantially as shown and described.

LEWVIS ED\VIN PYLE.

-Witnesses:

FRANK 13. STANDBRIDGE, JOHN H. JOURNEY.

